Page 6
SETTING THE TRACK MIDI CHANNEL ..........MIDI EFFECTS ..................VELOCITY OFFSET ................GATE OFFSET ................. DELAY OFFSET ................NOTE REPEAT ................UTILITY MODE ..................SETTING TRACK KNOB CONTROLLER NUMBERS ......PATTERN BANK AND PROGRAM CHANGE MESSAGES ....SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE DUMPS ............
Page 7
RECORDING A DRUM ROLL ..............SETTING DRUM NOTE MAPPINGS ..........SYNTH TYPE PATTERNS ............... PROGRAMMING A SYNTH TYPE PATTERN ........GRID PROGRAMMING ..............ADDING OR REMOVING A STEP EVENT ..........POLYPHONIC PROGRAMMING ............... SELECTING THE PITCH SLOT TO PROGRAM ..........CHANGING STEP PITCHES ..............
Page 8
CHANGING THE LFO MODULATION DEPTH ..........LATCHING THE LFO ................RECORDING AN LFO ................STEP FUNCTIONS ................OPERATING ON ALL DRUM INSTRUMENTS ........... STEP ROTATE ..................STEP CLEAR ................... STEP COPY .................... STEP PASTE .................... PATTERN FUNCTIONS ............... OPERATING ON ALL DRUM INSTRUMENTS ...........
The remainder of this manual will focus on these activities. Engine is all about the ability to both compose and perform live from a dedicated interface. This means several things in the context of Engine.
DIAGRAM CONVENTIONS Throughout this document, diagrams are used to illustrate the buttons used to perform various actions. Some diagrams will not show buttons being held or pinned to stay in a certain mode while functions are performed. For example, for functions associated with TIME MODE, it is assumed that the TIME button is being held or pinned, the TIME button will not be shown in every diagram.
Page 13
A brightly lit LED is represented as red, a dim LED is represented in pink. When an LED is blinking, it is represented with a dotted line around the LED. Example: When a knob should be turned, it will be shown with a red arrow. USER GUIDE...
WHAT’S IN THE BOX Included in the box are the following: • 1x Engine hardware sequencer: white/red or white/blue edition • 1x USB cable • 1x 9V DC international power supply • 5x International power plug attachments • 1x Quickstart postcard •...
REAR PANEL SOCIAL ENTROPY ELECTRONIC MUSIC INSTRUMENTS PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS DIMENSIONS 327 (W) x 66 (D) x 133 (H) mm 12-7/8 (W) x 2-5/8 (D) x 5-1/4 (H) inches WEIGHT 1.2kg (excluding power supply, options) 2 lbs 9 oz (excluding power supply, options) POWER 9V DC 300mA, 2.1mm center positive...
SNAPSHOTS and SONGS. TRACKS A good place to start is the TRACK. Engine has eight tracks which play simultaneously. A track shouldn’t be confused with a song, on some synthesizers/sequencers the term “track” is used to describe a song structure.
Page 19
BASICS For SYNTH type patterns, a step has attributes that determine PITCH, TIME, VELOCITY (ACCENT), GATE LENGTH (SLIDE), REPEAT and ACTIVE. PITCH 1-4 Defines the pitches of the step VELOCITY The velocity of the note to be played, accent is a quick way to set the velocity to a preset value GATE LENGTH Defines the note length, slide is created when a...
Page 20
BASICS In a CONTROL type pattern, a step has attributes that determine the CONTROL VALUE and CONTROL ACTIVE state for the six control knobs, in addition to ACTIVE state for the step. CONTROL Defines the control value that will be sent for one VALUE of the six controllers CONTROL...
Page 21
BASICS SNAPSHOTS Snapshots are useful for storing the current state of Engine across all tracks. This allows all settings to be recalled with a single button press. This can be used to build a song structure in realtime for live performance.
BASICS SONGS A SONG is a sequence of snapshots. SONGS allow for an entire performance to be constructed with different snapshots and played back in sequence automatically. Each SONG is made up of a series of SONG STEPS (not to be confused with pattern STEPS).
BASICS FUNCTIONS FUNCTIONS perform actions on step, pattern or track data. Most functions are initiated in FUNCTION MODE through various combinations of buttons, but some functions are available as realtime performance capabilities in other modes. Some examples of functions are: •...
CONNECTING MIDI Engine has a MIDI input and two MIDI output ports. The MIDI input port can be used for syncing Engine to other devices, or it can be used to connect a MIDI controller for realtime recording into patterns.
QUICK START SELECT A TRACK First we will select the track we want to sequence. The default mode for Engine is TRACK SELECT mode, meaning that you can use the eight white buttons of the mini keyboard to select one of the eight available tracks.
QUICK START 7. While still holding the step button, you can also set the ACCENT and SLIDE attributes 8. While still holding the step button, a specific note velocity can be set using controller knob 1. The current velocity of the note is displayed on the numeric display.
QUICK START 4. Press and hold the TRANSPOSE button, now select a semitone transpose amount by pressing one of the buttons of the mini-keyboard. 5. Release the TRANSPOSE button 6. Now we will save the transposed pattern setup into a new SNAPSHOT location. We are still in SNAPSHOT mode and the SNAPSHOT LED should be blinking.
Page 29
QUICK START 12. If the sequencer is already running, you should hear and see the song progress from snapshot 1 to snapshot 2. The LEDs and display will change to show the song progress. After playing snapshot 2, the song loops back to snapshot 1. Now that you know how to create patterns, snapshots and songs, you can explore polyphonic programming, drum programming, realtime recording, arpeggios and drum rolls and more across all eight tracks!
TRACKS TRACKS There are eight tracks in Engine. Tracks define a pattern or chain of patterns, along with other settings for things like MIDI channel, controller assignments, MIDI effects, etc. All eight tracks play simultaneously. Depending on the pattern type selected, a track can play a 4-note polyphonic synth sequence, an 8-note polyphonic drum trigger sequence or 6 recorded controllers.
TRACKS The Pattern Type LED will also change to show the type of pattern assigned to the selected track. For Drum type patterns the Pattern Type LED will be lit, for Synth type patterns the LED will not be lit, for Control type patterns, the LED will blink slowly. SELECTING PATTERNS AND PATTERN CHAINS FOR A TRACK TRACK SELECT mode is also where you will assign patterns or pattern chains to the selected track.
Page 33
TRACKS To select a pattern chain, press and hold the pattern step button for the first pattern in the chain, then click the pattern step button for the last pattern in the chain. The pattern chain should light across all selected patterns. NOTE: You cannot chain patterns across multiple pattern banks.
TRACKS SELECTING PATTERNS USING MIDI Individual patterns can be selected using MIDI program change messages. There are 64 patterns per track (16 patterns x 4 banks) which can be selected with the corresponding MIDI program change number. Each track will listen for program change messages on the MIDI channel assigned to that track.
TRACKS MUTING TRACKS Each track can be muted individually for creating variations or live performance. To mute a track, while in TRACK SELECT (normal) mode, press and hold the MUTE button, then click the track you wish to mute or unmute. Muted tracks are shown as an unlit track LED, while unmuted tracks are shown with a lit LED.
TRACKS SOLOING TRACKS A track can be soloed, which will mute all other tracks. To solo a track, while in TRACK SELECT (normal) mode, press and hold the MUTE button, then press and hold the FUNCTION button, then click the track you wish to solo. The selected track will be unmuted, all other tracks will be muted.
TRACKS SETTING THE TRACK MIDI CHANNEL The MIDI output channel and output port can be set for each track. To view the MIDI output channel for a track, press and hold (or double-click) the FUNCTION button, then press and hold the MIDI CHANNEL (down) button. The display will show the port and MIDI output channel for the selected track.
TRACKS MIDI EFFECTS Each track has a set of MIDI EFFECTS that change how an entire pattern plays. MIDI EFFECTS are accessible in FUNCTION MODE using the control knobs. MIDI EFFECTS settings can be saved in snapshot locations, but are not saved with pattern data.
TRACKS DELAY OFFSET The delay offset effect will add or subtract a delay amount to the start of all programmed steps. This can be used to increase quantization or remove shuffle in realtime. To set the delay offset, while in FUNCTION MODE, rotate control knob 3. The current delay offset value will show briefly on the LED display.
TRACKS UTILITY MODE There are some additional utility functions that can be accessed with the UTILITY (slide) button while in FUNCTION mode. This includes configuring the per track knob controller numbers, defining program changes for patterns, designating a track to listen to incoming MIDI for transposition and dumping patterns via MIDI system exclusive messages.
Page 41
TRACKS If you just want to view the current controller assigned to a knob without changing it, while holding pattern step button 2, press and hold the track select button corresponding to the controller knob that you wish to view. The current controller number of the corresponding knob will be displayed on the LED display.
TRACKS PATTERN BANK AND PROGRAM CHANGE MESSAGES A pattern can be configured to send MIDI bank select and program change messages when it is switched. This allows a pattern to change the selected patch on a synthesizer or drum machine automatically. The messages will be sent on the MIDI channel defined for the track.
Page 43
TRACKS To define the bank select least significant byte for the current edit pattern, while in UTILITY MODE, press and hold the CHANGE PATTERN TYPE (roll/arp) button, then rotate control knob 2. The current bank select least significant byte will be shown on the LED display while turning control knob 2.
TRACKS SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE DUMPS Engine patterns can be saved to an external device using MIDI system exclusive. This can be used to store individual patterns or the entire machine state. Pattern data can also be shared with other compatible machines, such as the Quicksilver TB-303, Quicksilver TR-606, Quicksilver TR-808 and Abstrakt Instruments Avalon Bassline.
TRACKS TRANSPOSING TRACKS USING MIDI Each track can be configured to listen to incoming MIDI notes to apply transposition. This is extremely useful if you wish to transpose multiple tracks simultaneously. Some tracks can be assigned to transpose, while others do not transpose. Transposition applies only to synth type patterns To enable or disable MIDI transpose for a track, in UTILITY MODE, click the TRANSPOSE button.
TRACKS SETTING STEP PITCH USING MIDI Each track can be configured to listen to incoming MIDI notes to set the pitch of a selected step in grid recording. This is useful if you wish to use an external controller to set the pitch of steps or enter chords in grid recording.
TRACKS TRACK QUANTIZATION Quantization can be enabled or disabled per track. Quantization only applies to input during realtime recording of synth type patterns. Quantization is enabled by default. This forces incoming notes to be a multiple of 50% gate length, the same as a 303 type sequencer. The beginning of a note will be hard quantized to the step.
TRACKS CV/GATE OUTPUT MODE When the CV/Gate output expansion board is installed, each track can be configured to send out CV using either Volt/Octave or Hz/Volt and Gate using either positive trigger or negative trigger. This allows the CV outputs to be used with a wide range of different analog devices.
PATTERNS PATTERNS Patterns are where the programming action takes place. Patterns and pattern chains are assigned to tracks, selecting patterns was covered in the TRACK SELECT section of the manual. Each pattern has separate settings for PATTERN TYPE, LENGTH, TIME SCALE, SHUFFLE and SKIPPED STEPS.
PATTERNS SETTING PATTERN LENGTH The pattern length is set by selecting the last step of the pattern. The last step can be set in any of the four pattern sections, allowing a maximum pattern length of 64 steps. When changing the pattern length while the sequencer is running, the change will not take effect until the pattern loops.
PATTERNS EXTENDING A PATTERN Sometimes you may wish to increase the length of a pattern during live performance. If you just set the length, there could be empty sections played until new notes are entered into the pattern, which would disrupt the flow of the performance. In order to avoid this situation, use the PATTERN EXTEND function.
PATTERNS SETTING PATTERN TIME SCALE Patterns can be assigned different timing scales, which changes the “resolution” of the pattern steps. This is also useful for setting the speed that a pattern plays back for polyrhythmic sequencing. There are eight available timing scales to choose from: 1/2x each step represents 1/32 note each step represents 1/16 note (default)
Page 53
PATTERNS To change the timing scale of a pattern, while in TIME mode, click one of the four attribute buttons. To change to the triplet version of a scale, double-click one of the four attribute buttons. Changes to the time scale while the sequencer is running will not take effect until the pattern loops, this keeps the pattern in sync during live performance.
PATTERNS SETTING PATTERN SHUFFLE Each pattern can have separate shuffle timing during playback. The amount of shuffle available depends on the selected scale and the pattern type. Shuffle can be applied to any pattern that uses a 4/4 based timing scale. DRUM and CONTROL type patterns have the following shuffle levels available for the 4/4 timing scales (including no shuffle): 1/2x...
Page 55
PATTERNS To change the shuffle level, while in TIME mode, click one of the white mini keyboard buttons. If the shuffle level is not available for the current pattern type and scale, the level cannot be selected. Changes to the shuffle level while the sequencer is running will not take effect until the pattern loops.
PATTERNS SKIPPING PATTERN STEPS It is possible to generate interesting pattern variations and timings by setting some steps to be skipped during playback. This capability is a more "advanced" function of TIME mode. To see the current active steps, while in TIME mode, press and hold the FUNCTION button.
PATTERNS REALIGN A PATTERN It is possible to realign a pattern if it falls out of sync with other tracks. This is particularly useful if the pattern has fallen out of sync because of changes to the pattern length or skipped steps.
PATTERNS TAP TEMPO It is possible to manually enter a tempo using the tap tempo function. This is useful when setting a tempo in relation to another sound source. To set the tempo using tap tempo, first engage the tempo lock. While tempo is engaged, the black “F sharp”...
PATTERNS PATTERN TYPES Engine has three different types of patterns, DRUM type patterns, SYNTH type patterns and CONTROL type patterns. TIP: Each pattern type has different capabilities for programming, but that doesn't mean that a drum type pattern couldn't be used to sequence a synth for example.
PATTERNS DRUM TYPE PATTERNS Drum type patterns are well suited for programming percussion sequences. A drum pattern has eight individual drum instruments that can be programmed, allowing a complete drum sequence to be created using a single track. SELECTING DRUM INSTRUMENTS When editing a drum pattern, you can select which drum instrument is currently displayed on the step LEDs by holding the TRANSPOSE/DRUM SELECT button to the left of the mini keyboard and then selecting the drum instrument using the white buttons of the mini...
PATTERNS PROGRAMMING DRUM TYPE PATTERNS Drum type patterns can be programmed using grid programming, step programming or realtime recording. Each method has it's strengths, so you can choose the appropriate method for your situation. Realtime recording and step recording can also be used simultaneously with grid programming, allowing for very interactive sequencing.
PATTERNS SETTING NOTE REPEAT Each trigger can be enabled for the note repeat MIDI EFFECT. This will cause the step to be retriggered according to the note repeat setting for the track. This creates a flam type effect. If the track MIDI EFFECT has a note repeat setting of zero, you will not hear any repeats. For details on using the note repeat MIDI EFFECT, please see the MIDI EFFECTS section under FUNCTION MODE.
PATTERNS REALTIME RECORDING Drum type patterns can also be recorded in realtime, which can be useful for capturing the expression of a live performance. To begin realtime recording, press and hold (or double click) the RECORD button. In RECORD mode, the eight white buttons of the mini keyboard become drum pads for realtime recording.
PATTERNS STEP RECORDING Step recording is an alternate way to enter drum triggers by moving from one step to the next in sequence. This can be done while the sequencer is running or stopped. To enter STEP RECORD, press and hold (or double click) the FUNCTION button, then click the RECORD button.
Page 65
PATTERNS To enter a REST event, click the REST button, any existing event will be erased from the current step. To advance one step without entering any new data, click the RECORD button. To leave STEP RECORD mode, click the FUNCTION button. USER GUIDE...
PATTERNS MUTING DRUM INSTRUMENTS Individual drum instruments can be muted within a DRUM type pattern to create pattern variations. To enter drum instrument mute mode, first press and hold (or double click) the TRANSPOSE/DRUM SELECT button, then press and hold (or double click) the MUTE button.
PATTERNS SOLOING DRUM INSTRUMENTS A single drum instrument can be soloed, which will mute all other instruments. To solo a drum instrument, while in DRUM INSTRUMENT MUTE mode, press and hold the FUNCTION button, then click the drum instrument you wish to solo. The selected instrument will be unmuted, all other instruments will be muted.
PATTERNS DRUM ROLLS Drum type patterns include a DRUM ROLL function than can be used for realtime performance or recorded directly into the pattern sequence. To enter DRUM ROLL mode, press and hold (or double-click) the ROLL/ARP button. While in DRUM ROLL mode, the white mini keyboard buttons can be used to play drum rolls for each of the eight drum instruments.
PATTERNS CHANGING THE DRUM ROLL RESOLUTION The resolution of the DRUM ROLL can be changed to create interesting variations. The current resolution will be displayed on the LEDs of the black mini-keyboard buttons. To change the drum roll resolution, while in DRUM ROLL mode, press any of the black mini keyboard buttons.
PATTERNS LATCHING DRUM ROLLS While a drum roll is playing, you can latch the roll. When a drum roll is latched, it will continue to play, even when leaving ROLL mode. You can add additional instruments or remove instruments from the drum roll while the roll is latched, by clicking the buttons of the mini keyboard.
PATTERNS RECORDING A DRUM ROLL If you find an interesting drum roll, you can instantly record it directly into the pattern. To record a drum roll, while in DRUM ROLL mode, press and hold (or double-click) the RECORD button. Momentary recording of a drum roll can create interesting musical combinations in the sequenced pattern.
PATTERNS SETTING DRUM NOTE MAPPINGS By default, the note values for the drum instruments map to the standard GM notes for a drum kit. The assigned notes for each drum instrument can be changed per track in DRUM LEARN mode. To enter DRUM LEARN mode, press and hold (or double click) the FUNCTION button and then press and hold the DRUM LEARN (song) button.
PATTERNS SYNTH TYPE PATTERNS Synth type patterns store the pitches, length and velocity of each step, making them well suited for programming melodic sequences. Synth type patterns are polyphonic up to four notes and they can use the CHORD MEMORY function to automatically play polyphonic chords over MIDI.
PATTERNS ADDING OR REMOVING A STEP EVENT To add a new step event, click the pattern step button where you wish to place the event. Continue to hold down the step button to see and edit other attributes of the step. To remove the step, you can quickly click the step button.
PATTERNS POLYPHONIC PROGRAMMING Each step can have separate pitches programmed in four available pitch slots. This allows for programming chords or other polyphonic note data per step. The velocity and gate length of the four pitch slots is shared, this means that setting VELOCITY/ACCENT or GATE LENGTH/SLIDE for a step will effect all programmed pitch slots.
PATTERNS CHANGING STEP PITCHES While holding a step button, you can see and change the programmed pitch for the step. The semitone pitch is displayed on the mini keyboard, while the octave of the note is shown on the UP and DOWN octave LEDs to the right of the mini keyboard. To change the step pitch, while holding the step button, press any semitone button on the mini keyboard.
Page 77
PATTERNS You can select from nine octaves using the octave UP and DOWN buttons. The LEDs of the octave buttons will light differently according to the selected octave. For example, one octave down will light the DOWN LED dimly, two octaves down will light the DOWN LED brightly, three octaves down will blink the DOWN LED dimly, four octaves down will blink the DOWN LED brightly.
PATTERNS QUICKLY ENTERING MULTIPLE PITCHES If you wish to quickly enter a polyphonic step, while holding the the step button you can press and hold multiple pitches on the mini-keyboard. This is useful for quickly entering chords on a step. Each additional keyboard button (up to four) will automatically increment the selected pitch slot and store the pitch value.
PATTERNS TRANSPOSING POLYPHONIC STEPS Sometimes you may wish to transpose all pitch slots at the same time, by the same amount. The step transpose function allows you to do this. The step transpose function uses the mini-keyboard and octave buttons to transpose all pitches on the current step by semitones or octaves.
PATTERNS SETTING STEP LENGTH To set the overall length of a step, press and hold the step button and then click a second step button. The beginning of the step is shown with a brightly lit step LED, and the length of the note is shown by a chain of dimly lit step LEDs.
Page 81
PATTERNS If you turn the control knob completely clockwise, the note will be set to SLIDE, indicating that the note length will overlap with the next note. The LED display will show “SLD” when a note is set to slide. TIP: Slides can also be set quickly using the SLIDE button while holding the step button.
PATTERNS ADDING SLIDE A step can have a programmed SLIDE attribute. Slide causes the note length to be extended so that it is played legato, meaning that the next note will be started before ending the previous note, so that they overlap. On many synthesizers, this will trigger a slide or portamento between notes.
PATTERNS SETTING VELOCITY OR ACCENT Each step of a synth type pattern can have a velocity set from 0-127. For quick programming, the ACCENT button can be used to set a predefined velocity for accented or unaccented notes. To set the velocity of a note using the ACCENT button, press and hold the pattern step button.
PATTERNS SETTING STEP DELAY Each step of a synth type pattern can have a delay added to the start of the step. This can create a more humanized feel in programmed patterns. The amount of delay available will vary based on the current TIME SCALE for the pattern. To set the delay for a step, press and hold the pattern step button.
PATTERNS REALTIME RECORDING The pattern information for a SYNTH type pattern can be recorded in realtime using the mini keyboard or from an external MIDI controller. This allows a more expressive performance to be recorded directly into a pattern. To enter RECORD mode, press and hold or double click the RECORD button. In record mode, the mini keyboard can be used to play notes into the pattern.
PATTERNS STEP RECORDING Step recording is an alternate way to enter a monophonic sequence of notes and timing by moving from one step to the next in sequence. This can be done while the sequencer is running or stopped. To enter STEP RECORD, press and hold (or double click) the FUNCTION button, then click the RECORD button.
Page 87
PATTERNS You can also add ACCENT to a step by clicking the ACCENT button while holding the keyboard button. To increase the length of the current step, keep holding the current mini keyboard button and click the RECORD button, this will lengthen the step event by one step and advance the current step.
Page 88
PATTERNS To advance one step without entering any new data, click the RECORD button. To leave STEP RECORD mode, click the FUNCTION button. You can also continue to use grid recording on individual steps while in STEP RECORD mode. To do this, click and hold any pattern step button. The step attributes can be displayed and edited, when releasing the step button you can return to step recording.
PATTERNS TRANSPOSING SYNTH PATTERNS An entire synth type pattern can be transposed in semitones or octaves. This can be used to create musical progressions or to quickly experiment with different note ranges. Along with pattern copy/paste, pattern transpose can be used to create layers and variations across tracks.
Page 90
PATTERNS To change the pattern transposition in octaves, click either the DOWN or UP buttons. The LEDs of the octave buttons will light differently according to the selected octave. For example, one octave down will light the DOWN LED dimly, two octaves down will light the DOWN LED brightly, three octaves down will blink the DOWN LED dimly, four octaves down will blink the DOWN LED brightly.
PATTERNS ALL ACCENT To play back all pattern steps as accented notes, press and hold the ACCENT button while in transpose mode. Notes will resume normal playback when the ACCENT button is released. NO ACCENT To play back all pattern steps as unaccented notes, press and hold the MUTE button and then press and hold the ACCENT button while in transpose mode.
PATTERNS ALL SLIDE To play back all pattern steps with slides, press and hold the SLIDE button while in transpose mode. Notes will resume normal playback when the SLIDE button is released. NO SLIDE To play back all pattern steps without slide, press and hold the MUTE button and then press and hold the SLIDE button while in transpose mode.
PATTERNS REALTIME RECORDING TRANSPOSE, ACCENT AND SLIDE Pattern transposition, accents, slides and muting of accents and slides can be recorded directly into a pattern in realtime. This is extremely useful for adding variation to a recorded pattern, or fixing and modifying accent and slide events. To realtime record the transpose functions, press and hold (or double-click) the RECORD button while in transpose mode.
PATTERNS REALTIME ARPEGGIATOR Synth type patterns include an arpeggiator than can be used for realtime performance or recorded directly into the pattern sequence. To enter ARPEGGIATOR mode, press and hold (or double-click) the ROLL/ARP button. While in ARPEGGIATOR mode, the mini keyboard can be used to play arpeggios. Before playing notes on the mini keyboard, the octave can be set using the octave DOWN and UP buttons.
PATTERNS CHANGING THE ARPEGGIO DIRECTION The direction of the arpeggio can be changed to create interesting variations. The available directions are: • as played • up • down • up/down • random To change the arpeggio direction, while in ARPEGGIO mode, press the TIME button. The current direction will be displayed on the LED display.
PATTERNS LATCHING THE ARPEGGIATOR The arpeggiator can be latched. When the arpeggiator is latched, it will continue to play, even when leaving ARPEGGIO mode. You can add additional notes or remove notes from the arpeggio while the arpeggiator is latched, by clicking the buttons of the mini keyboard. To latch the arpeggiator, while in arpeggio mode, click the FUNCTION button.
PATTERNS RECORDING AN ARPEGGIO If you find an interesting arpeggio, you can instantly record it directly into the pattern. To record an arpeggio, while in ARPEGGIO mode, press and hold (or double-click) the RECORD button. Momentary recording of an arpeggio can create interesting musical combinations in the sequenced pattern.
PATTERNS CHORD MEMORY Although each step in a synth type pattern can hold polyphonic data, the CHORD MEMORY function can be used to automatically create polyphonic playback over MIDI. Use CHORD MEMORY to define a chord shape that will be played for each step. CHORD MEMORY will use the programmed pitch in PITCH SLOT 1 as the basis for the chord.
PATTERNS CONTROL TYPE PATTERNS Control type patterns are useful for recording specific controller values or automating playback of controller modulation. A control pattern can record up to six control values per step, which map to the six control knobs. The LFO mode of the control pattern can be used to create periodic modulation of any of the six control values.
PATTERNS ADDING OR CHANGING A CONTROL VALUE To add a new step event, click and hold the pattern step button where you wish to place the event. Continue to hold down the step button and then rotate one of the six control knobs to record a new control value.
PATTERNS REALTIME RECORDING The pattern information for a CONTROL type pattern can be recorded in realtime using the control knobs. This allows a more expressive performance to be recorded directly into a pattern. To enter RECORD mode, press and hold or double click the RECORD button. In record mode, the control knobs are used to record control values into the pattern as the pattern plays.
PATTERNS STEP RECORDING Step recording is an alternate way to enter control values by moving from one step to the next in sequence. This can be done while the sequencer is running or stopped. To enter STEP RECORD, press and hold (or double click) the FUNCTION button, then click the RECORD button.
Page 103
PATTERNS To enter a REST event, click the REST button, any existing controls will be deactivated on the current step. To advance one step without entering any new data, click the RECORD button. To leave STEP RECORD mode, click the FUNCTION button. You can also continue to use grid recording on individual steps while in STEP RECORD mode.
PATTERNS MUTING INDIVIDUAL CONTROLLERS Individual controllers can be muted within a CONTROL type pattern to create pattern variations. To enter control mute mode, first press and hold (or double click) the TRANSPOSE/DRUM SELECT button, then press and hold (or double click) the MUTE button. The current mute status for each controller is shown on the LEDs of the first six white mini keyboard buttons.
PATTERNS SOLOING INDIVIDUAL CONTROLLERS A single controller can be soloed, which will mute all other controllers. To solo a controller, while in CONTROL MUTE mode, press and hold the FUNCTION button, then click the controller you wish to solo. The selected controller will be unmuted, all other controllers will be muted.
PATTERNS LFO MODE Control type patterns include a LFO (low frequency oscillator) function than can be used to create automated modulation of the controllers. To enter LFO mode, press and hold (or double-click) the ROLL/ARP button. While in LFO mode, the first six white mini keyboard buttons can be used to engage the LFO for any of the six controllers.
PATTERNS CHANGING THE LFO SHAPE The shape of the LFO can be changed to create different modulations. The available shapes are: • triangle • ramp up (sawtooth up) • ramp down (sawtooth down) • square • random To change the LFO shape, while in ARPEGGIO mode, press the TIME button. The current shape will be displayed on the LED display.
PATTERNS CHANGING THE LFO MODULATION DEPTH The modulation depth of the LFO can be adjusted to limit the range of control messages. Both the lower and upper limits of the control range can be set independently. To change the LFO modulation depth, while in LFO mode, press the TIME button and then turn either control knob 3 for the lower limit or control knob 4 for the upper limit.
PATTERNS LATCHING THE LFO The LFO can be latched. When the LFO is latched, it will continue to play, even when leaving LFO mode. You can add additional controllers or remove controllers from the LFO while the LFO is latched, by clicking the buttons of the mini keyboard. To latch the LFO, while in LFO mode, click the FUNCTION button.
PATTERNS RECORDING AN LFO If you find an interesting LFO modulation, you can instantly record it directly into the pattern. To record an LFO, while in LFO mode, press and hold (or double-click) the RECORD button. Momentary recording of an LFO can create interesting modulations in the sequenced pattern.
PATTERNS STEP FUNCTIONS While holding a pattern step, you can also apply several functions to the individual step, such as rotate, clear, copy and paste. This can be used to make fine adjustments to a pattern during composition. To use a step functions, while holding a pattern step, press and hold the FUNCTION button.
PATTERNS STEP ROTATE Rotating a step backwards or forwards will move the selected step location within the programmed pattern. This is useful when only one note is recorded into the wrong step location. To rotate a step, while holding the pattern step button and FUNCTION, click the black mini-keyboard button labelled BACKWARD (C#) or the black mini-keyboard button labelled FORWARD (D#).
PATTERNS STEP COPY You can copy a selected step by clicking the black mini-keyboard button labelled COPY (G#). This will copy the selected step into the clipboard. The length of a synth type note is also copied. USER GUIDE...
PATTERNS STEP PASTE You can paste a previously copied note by clicking the black mini-keyboard button labelled PASTE (A#). This will paste the clipboard step into the selected step. The length of the clipboard note is also pasted into the pattern, overwriting any previous step data.
PATTERNS PATTERN FUNCTIONS There several useful functions that operate on patterns, which are available in FUNCTION MODE. These include things like pattern copy and paste, clear, rotate, randomize and reverse. To enter FUNCTION MODE, press and hold (or double click) the FUNCTION button. The FUNCTION button is outlined with a color and text above the button.
PATTERNS APPLY TRANSPOSE You can permanently apply the current pattern transposition amount directly to the sequence events. This function is useful when you wish to transpose a pattern over a greater range, or view the pattern step events at the correct pitch. NOTE: This function only operates on SYNTH type patterns.
PATTERNS PATTERN ROTATE The pattern rotate function allows you to shift all pattern events forwards or backwards one step at a time. This is useful when a pattern is off-beat in relation to other patterns. It can also be useful for creating interesting variations of existing patterns. To rotate a pattern, in FUNCTION mode, click the BACKWARD (C#) or FORWARD (D#) buttons on the mini keyboard.
PATTERNS PATTERN CLEAR The pattern clear function will remove all note events and reset all steps to the default pitch on a SYNTH type pattern. It will also reset the pattern length to 16 steps, time scale to 1x (4/4) and shuffle amount to zero. To clear a pattern, in FUNCTION mode, press and hold the CLEAR(F#) button on the mini keyboard, then click the pattern step button of the pattern you wish to clear.
PATTERNS PATTERN PASTE When a pattern has been copied into the pattern buffer using the COPY function, it can be pasted into any other pattern location. To paste a pattern, in FUNCTION mode, press and hold the PASTE (A#) button on the mini keyboard, then click the pattern step button of the pattern you wish to paste into.
PATTERNS PATTERN RANDOMIZE Pattern data can be randomized to create unexpected variations. Using randomize along with precise pattern editing can result in usable patterns that might not have been obvious through traditional sequencing. Randomize effects the step events of the pattern, including notes, length, accent/velocity, slide and pitch for synth type patterns and instrument triggers and accents for drum type patterns.
PATTERNS PATTERN DIRECTION Patterns can be set to play in various directions, which is useful for creating interesting sequence variations. The current available directions are: • forward (FOR) • backward (BAC) • pendulum (PEND) • random (RAND) To view the current pattern direction, while in FUNCTION MODE, press the DIRECTION (time) button.
SNAPSHOTS SNAPSHOTS Snapshots are used to store the current settings of all tracks. They are extremely useful for live performance, to recall the settings for all tracks with a single button press. A snapshot records the following settings for all tracks: •...
SNAPSHOTS Use the SECTION button to move between the four available snapshot banks. RECORDING SNAPSHOTS Initially all snapshot locations are empty. In order to use a snapshot, you must first record the current settings to a new snapshot location. Before recording the snapshot, set up selected patterns and pattern chains for each track, set MIDI effects, track mutes and synth pattern transpose and drum pattern instrument mutes.
SNAPSHOTS RECALLING SNAPSHOTS Once you have recorded some snapshots, you can recall them when needed. To select a snapshot, while in SNAPSHOT mode, click one of the pattern step buttons. You may only select snapshot locations that contain a stored snapshot (indicated by a dimly lit LED).
SONGS SONGS Songs are used to automate the playback of snapshots, this allows a performance to be captured and replayed. SONG PLAY mode only allows songs to be played back, no edits can be made in song play mode. To edit or record a song, you can use either song step record or realtime record modes.
SONGS SELECTING SONGS There are 32 song locations available. To select a song. press and hold the SONG button, then press one of the 16 pattern select buttons to select a song location. Use the section button to move between the two song banks. The current selected song is shown with a brightly lit LED.
SONGS SONG LOCATION SHORTCUTS While holding the SONG button, you can quickly move to either the first or last song step with the BACKWARD or FORWARD buttons. To move to the first song step, click BACKWARD. To move to the last song step, click FORWARD. USER GUIDE...
SONGS RECORDING SONGS Songs can be recorded in realtime or edited using song step record mode. Realtime recording is a great way to capture a live performance, while step recording allows you to make precise edits. REALTIME SONG RECORD To enter realtime SONG RECORD mode, while in SONG mode, press the RECORD button.
SONGS SONG STEP RECORD Songs can be manually edited or created in song STEP RECORD mode. While in STEP RECORD mode, the sequencer does not advance through the song during playback, allowing precise edits to be made. To enter realtime SONG STEP RECORD mode, while in SONG mode, press and hold FUNCTION and then click the RECORD button.
SONGS SELECTING CURRENT SONG STEP While in STEP RECORD mode, you can move to specific song steps by clicking the BACKWARD (C#) or FORWARD (D#) buttons. Each song can have a maximum of 64 song steps. The current selected song step will be displayed on the LED display.
SONGS SETTING SONG STEP REPEATS While in song STEP RECORD mode, you can set the number of times a song step should repeat before moving to the next song step. A song step can be set to a maximum of eight repetitions.
SONGS ASSIGNING SNAPSHOTS TO SONG STEPS Each song step has an assigned snapshot. You can choose any of the 64 available snapshot locations, including blank snapshots. The current assigned snapshot is shown with a brightly lit LED on the step buttons, or if the selected snapshot is not in the currently selected bank, the section LED for the bank with the current snapshot is shown with a dimly lit LED.
GLOBAL CONFIG GLOBAL CONFIG Global CONFIG mode is where changes that effect the whole machine are made, this includes global control knob settings, CV, synchronization and MIDI settings. To enter CONFIG mode, press and hold the FUNCTION button, then click the MUTE button.
GLOBAL CONFIG SETTING KNOB CHANNELS The MIDI channel for each control knob can be set separately. This allows each control knob to be used to control a different device if needed. The MIDI channel for each control knob can also be set to "track" which will change the MIDI channel and MIDI controller number according to the currently selected track.
GLOBAL CONFIG SETTING KNOB CONTROLLER NUMBERS The MIDI controller number for each control knob can be set separately. This allows each control knob to be used to control a different parameter of a device if needed. To set the MIDI controller number for a control knob, while in CONFIG mode, press and hold pattern step button 2, then turn the control knob you wish to set.
To dump the entire machine, while in GLOBAL CONFIG MODE, click the SYSEX (pattern step 8) button. The machine state will be sent immediately. NOTE: To reload a system exclusive dump into ENGINE, replay the MIDI file into Engine. All data will be overwritten immediately. USER GUIDE...
GLOBAL CONFIG CV EXPANSION MODE There are several modes available for the optional CV expansion board. These can be changed as needed after the CV expansion board has been installed and enabled. The available modes are: (Off) CV/Gate is not used (default) 8 tracks (8 tr) Each track has a dedicated pair of CV/Gate outputs...
GLOBAL CONFIG CV MODE: 8 TRACKS In “8 tracks” mode, each of the eight tracks has a dedicated CV/Gate output pair. For synth type patterns, the outputs produce CV and Gate signals that correspond to the programmed pattern using pitch slot 1 for each step. For drum type patterns, the output is tied to the EXT drum instrument.
GLOBAL CONFIG CV MODE: 4 SYNTHS In “4 synths” mode, you can choose four tracks to share the outputs. Each selected track will have two output pairs. For synth type patterns, the outputs produce CV and Gate signals on one output pair The second output pair generates an accent trigger on GATE/TRIG and a variable velocity voltage on CV/VEL.
GLOBAL CONFIG CV MODE: 1 DRUM In “1 drum” mode, all of the output pairs are dedicated to a single track. For drum type patterns, all eight of the drum instruments have a dedicated CV/Gate output pair. The outputs produce triggers from the GATE/TRIG outputs and accent triggers from the CV/VEL outputs.
GLOBAL CONFIG CV MODE: 6 CONTROLS AND CLOCKS In “6 controls” mode, all of the output pairs are used to output either a CV voltage controlled by the control knobs or various clock divisions for synchronizing other devices. The first seven CV outputs will generate a voltage that corresponds to the controller knob locations and the TEMPO knob location.
The MIDI input channel used for realtime recording from a MIDI controller can be changed to several different modes. This flexibility allows you to control how Engine responds to incoming MIDI without changing settings on your external controller. The three available settings are: Ch <X>...
GLOBAL CONFIG ENABLING MIDI THRU The MIDI input can be echoed to the MIDI outputs. The input data is merged with any MIDI data generated by the sequencer. If MIDI SYNC output from the sequencer is enabled, then incoming MIDI clock will not be echoed.
DIN Sync clock or the internal clock. When Engine is set to either MIDI or Internal clock, the DIN Sync port will send DIN sync. If Engine is set to sync to DIN Sync, the DIN Sync port dynamically switches to become an input port.
This is useful to eliminate MIDI message activity if no other devices will be synchronized to the Engine clock or if you would like to dedicate one of the two MIDI output ports as a clock output. If MIDI clock send is enabled, Engine will send continuous MIDI clock messages even when the sequencer is stopped.
GLOBAL CONFIG FORMAT ALL PATTERNS Sometimes it may be necessary to erase all pattern data to start on a new project. It is possible to format all patterns while leaving TRACK, SONG, SNAPSHOT and CONFIG data intact. The pattern type for each pattern will be maintained. To format all patterns, while in GLOBAL CONFIG MODE, press and hold FORMAT PATTERNS (pattern step 13), then click the SECTION button to confirm the operation.
When USB MIDI is enabled, the hardware DIN MIDI input jack is not used. The DIN MIDI output jacks will continue to output MIDI even when USB MIDI is enabled. NOTE: Engine is a USB “device”, which means that it must be connected to a USB “host”, such as a computer, tablet or dedicated MIDI host converter box.
GLOBAL CONFIG DIMMING LEDS The LED brightness for all LEDs can be adjusted as needed. This is particularly useful when moving between bright outdoor and dark indoor environments. Additionally, the difference between "bright" and "dim" can be adjusted separately. This allows you to customize how bright the dim LEDs are according to your own preference.
GLOBAL CONFIG CHECKING OS VERSION To check the current version of the Engine firmware, while in CONFIG mode, press and hold pattern step button 16. The current version number will be displayed on the LED display. Periodically, new versions of the Engine firmware will be released to add new features and fix bugs.
When used with other devices that support TurboMIDI, Engine can negotiate speeds up to 10x MIDI on MIDI output 1. To use TurboMIDI, connect the MIDI input and MIDI output 1 from Engine to the MIDI output and input of the other device.
Engine to your PC using the included USB cable. With the Engine connected to your PC, you will now boot in update mode. To do this, press and hold both the SECTION button and the RECORD button while turning on the machine.
FACTORY RESET It is possible to initialize all memory to factory state, this will erase all data and reset all configurations. This may be necessary in some cases, when updating the operating system, or in the unlikely event that memory becomes corrupted. It is also useful when starting from scratch to initialize the machine to a known state.
The GATE outputs are 0 to +10V DC. INSTALLING THE CV EXPANSION BOARD To install the CV expansion, first power off and unplug Engine. Next you will need to remove the two hex screws holding the blanking panel in place over the expansion port.
Page 154
After plugging in the ribbon cable, carefully slide the CV expansion board into the Engine chassis. The mounting holes of the expansion panel should meet up with the threaded holes.
CV EXPANSION ENABLING CV EXPANSION MODE The function of the CV/Gate outputs is controlled by the EXP MODE settings as defined in the CV EXPANSION MODE section of CONFIG MODE. The default CV MODE is “OFF”. You must select the appropriate EXPANSION MODE in order to use the CV/Gate outputs. DRUM TYPE PATTERNS In “8 track”...
CV EXPANSION CV CONVERTER MODE Engine has a special mode to act as a dedicated MIDI to CV converter box. This can be used as 8 monophonic tracks or a single 8-voice polyphonic converter. It will also convert MIDI clock to DIN Sync in this mode. It can be configured to accept incoming MIDI from USB or DIN MIDI.
CV EXPANSION DISABLING CV CONVERTER MODE To stop using CV converter mode, power Engine off and then on again (without holding any buttons). The sequencer mode will start normally. SELECTING USB OR DIN MIDI INPUT You can receive incoming MIDI from USB MIDI or DIN MIDI. You cannot receive from both inputs at the same time.
CV EXPANSION MONOPHONIC/POLYPHONIC CONVERSION In monophonic mode, each of the 8 CV/Gate pairs acts independently, each can be configured with a different MIDI channel, and slide mode. This allows you to control eight different analog devices from incoming MIDI. In polyphonic mode, the 8 CV/Gate pairs are assigned to the same MIDI channel and use a dynamic voice allocation method to play up to eight notes.
CV EXPANSION SETTING CONVERSION MIDI CHANNELS Each track can have a separate MIDI channel assigned. In polyphonic conversion mode, only the MIDI channel for track 1 is used. To set the MIDI channel for a CV/Gate output, press and hold the TRACK button that corresponds to the CV/Gate pair.
CV EXPANSION ENABLING HARDWARE SLIDE In monophonic conversion mode, each track can have hardware slide enabled. This will cause any overlapping (legato) notes to produce a smooth slide on the CV output and the GATE will not be retriggered. When slide is not enabled, CV pitch will change instantly, but the GATE will still not be retriggered.
CV EXPANSION CV/GATE OUTPUT MODE Each track can be configured to send out CV using either Volt/Octave or Hz/Volt and Gate using either positive trigger or negative trigger. This allows the CV outputs to be used with a wide range of different analog devices. Each of the eight tracks can have a different setting for CV MODE.
Need help?
Do you have a question about the Engine and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers